Cancelling web design services

[dbslas]

What is the name of your state? California

I recently hired a web designer to build me a business website. I payed a deposit, and the remainder was to be paid upon completion and satisfaction. The designer I feel was not seeing my vision for my website and I felt it best to not complete. They told me that if I don't complete it, they will demand full payment anyway and bill me.

My question is can they legally do so? There is no written contract, aside from emails stating what they are charging, the deposit required to start, and the balance that will be due upon completion.

Any legal direction is appreciated.

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state? California

I recently hired a web designer to build me a business website. I payed a deposit, and the remainder was to be paid upon completion and satisfaction. The designer I feel was not seeing my vision for my website and I felt it best to not complete. They told me that if I don't complete it, they will demand full payment anyway and bill me.

My question is can they legally do so? There is no written contract, aside from emails stating what they are charging, the deposit required to start, and the balance that will be due upon completion.

Any legal direction is appreciated.

**A: why is there no written contract?

 

[dbslas]

We are in different states, so all was done by email. Deposit was made via paypal. I wrote them at the start that I was paying the required deposit, balance to be paid "upon completion and my satisfaction". They are saying they will bill my paypal account anyway. I don't think they legally can, but that is my question.

 

[dallas702]

And how did they show their agreement to your "...and my satisfaction" clause?

Obviously, you should have made a written agreement with specific terms, but at least you included "satisfaction" in your email. If they sued you your defense would be that you were not satisfied with their work.....IF you can show that they acknowledged and agreed to that specification. Do you have a trail of emails with their response or agreement to start work following (by date and time) your stated requirement of "satisfaction"?

 

[dbslas]

Well, following that email, they acknowledged receipt of it with the initial down payment and then began work on the website. To me, that would constitute acceptance of what I wrote, or they would have stated otherwise.

They have now offered to continue working on the website provided I pay the entire amount up front. Otherwise they will stop working on it and bill me regardless.